Masterpiece
by The Lady More
Summary: When a Unsub kills his victims and places them in art museums in front of paintings mimicking the deaths of various artists and the subjects, Reid and Morgan find themselves profiling the unsub and the stories behind the paintings
1. Chapter 1

_**Well this is my first Criminal minds fic and I thought what better first fic to write than to write one involving my favorite subject…art/art history and the psychology behind paintings so I hope you enjoy.**_

_**Disclaimer**__**: I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters this is a story of pure fiction. **_

Masterpiece

**The Crimes:**

Of all the cases Dr. Spencer Reid had investigated on, he found this one the most interesting. One because this was finally a case Reid could use his infinite and random knowledge to solve a case. And two, the whole context intrigued the young genius.

There were three murders in New York one of the art capitals of the world. The victims were Art students from three different universities in the Metropolitan area. The victims were badly tortured before being placed at the "dumpsite". This is where the case got interesting for Reid. The three bodies were placed in three separate museums in front of specific paintings.

Victim 1, a painting student at Parsons (a well known and expensive art school), was found at the Metropolitan Museum of art in front of Van Gough's _Madame Joseph-Michel Ginoux. _The victim's ear was cut off just like Van Gough's, and was shot in the shoulder right above the upper breast mimicking Van Gough's suicide. Though she was the only one of the three victims to be found alive, she remained in a coma at Mount Sinai hospital.

Victim 2, a Photography student at Pratt, was found at the Museum of Modern art in front of Diane Arbus' _Identical Twins In New Jersey_, which was currently being displayed for a special exhibition. The subjects in photo reminded Reid of the movie _The Shinning _that stared Jack Nicholson and scared the living shit out of Reid. The victim was found dead and just like Victim 1, the victim's death mimicked Diane Arbus' suicide. She was overdosed with drugs and her wrists were slashed.

Then there was victim 3, Reid drew the most attention on this one, not because of the placement, but because of the subject that was in the painting the victim was placed in front of. The most recent victim an art history student at NYC was found at the Frick Museum in front of Hans Holbein's famous _Portrait of Sir Thomas More 1527_. The team had yet to know about the details of this crime scene. But the thing about the crime scene was Sir Thomas More. Reid knew Holbein did not commit suicide so the unsub was using More as his muse for this crime scene. But why suddenly change from artist to subject?

Reid sat in the back of the BAU plane bound for New York with his laptop on the tray table. His first task was to learn more about Sir Thomas More. The young doctor had some idea of Sir Thomas and his life. He was a top advisor in the King Henry VIII's court, wrote the famous book _Utopia_, was Lord Chancellor of England and was beheaded for not accepting King Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church of England. In the few minutes Reid searched for answers he only gained a minor amount more knowledge on the man, but nothing that could explain why More's picture was chosen as the painting looking over where the body was placed.

The young doctor groaned in frustration annoyed, he didn't have time to go the library to take out a book on Sir Thomas. That would be his first task.

_Well _Reid thought _at least I finally will have a chance to see the New York public library._

Sitting across from Reid was Agent Derek Morgan who was not as fascinated in art as Reid was. While Reid's expertise was to use his knowledge to solve a crime…Morgan's expertise was kicking down doors and leading the way into perilous danger. While Reid was trying to figure out the meaning behind the details, Morgan contemplating who the unsub was.

Morgan quickly knew that first, the unsub was an Art Enthusiast because of the bodies being placed in art museums. Second, the unsub was a sexual sadist because he was only targeting women and brutally torturing them to death minus victim 1 who was still alive but unconscious. Third, the unsub was disorganized because of the messes left at the crime scenes. And finally because the bodies were placed in public spaces….the unsub wanted attention.

Because he had some idea on the unsub Morgan sat back on his chair while he watched Reid working, eyes fixated on the screen.

"Watcha doing there kid?" Morgan asked upon hearing Reid's groan of frustration, "you've haven't taken your eyes off that screen."

Reid looked up at Morgan and sighed.

"I am trying to research a bit on Sir Thomas More," Reid said eyes still fixated on the computer screen, "Figuring out why the unsub would place the body in front of a portrait of a man who died from beheading when before he placed the bodies in front of paintings of artists who committed suicide."

Morgan lifted his eyes in intrigue and added another characteristic to his profile, the unsub was well educated if knew the information of how the artist died. But then his young counterpart mentioned that the third victim may have changed his muse from artist to subject

"So, the unsub must have ran out of paintings by artists who took their own lives so he must have done research and found that the subject in the painting committed suicide instead."

His young co agent lifted his finger and shook his head, while he continued to look for any reason why Sir Thomas would be chosen to be a "witness" of a crime scene. He clicked.

"Negative, Sir Thomas was not only famous for writing _Utopia,_ the most famous book which was used as a guide to set up some of the government systems that exsist today," Reid said now clicking on a link that gave an analysis on More's religious beliefs and practices, "But he was famous for being beheaded as a Martyr under King Henry VIII for refusing to agree that the King was supreme head of the church..."

Reid paused when a detail about More's life stuck out to him, he indulged in self flagellation. In this practice men of the Catholic faith would whip themselves hopefully by shedding off their unruly skin. The young doctor wrote down a mental note to check if the body had any whip marks on her back.

"Thanks for the history lesson Kid," Morgan said rolling his eyes, "but I don't see how this has to do with the unsub suddenly changing his MO."

Reid opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the familiar monotone voice of Agent Aaron Hotchner. Compared to his fellow agents Hotchner's personality was dull and boring. His face was always so stern that not even his lips twitched in emotion. The team never knew whether he was happy or sad, brave or scared. It was often his emotionless personality that made his fellow agents think twice before crossing him. Reid and Morgan stared at the man dressed in a dark suit carefully.

"When we land," Hotchner began, "I want you two to go to the Frick Museum to help process the crime scene, confirm that this murder is from our unsub. Also see if you can find anything that could tell us where and who the unsub may target next. There will be a car waiting for you when we land, we should be landing in a couple of minutes."

Both men bowed their head in acknowledgement at their fellow agent. Hotchner walked off leaving the two men alone. Reid sighed closing his computer and packed it into his messenger bag whilst Morgan buckled himself in.

"Well Kid, it looks like we are working together again."

Both men knew that this case would be unlike any other case they solved before.

_**Reviews? I give cookies to all my reviewers =D**_


	2. The Story of Sir Thomas More

_**Thanks for all the reviews and the alerts. If you want to see the pictures that are described in this chapter please feel free to ask and I will send you the link to them.**_

_**Warning:**__** Graphic description of a crime scene**_

**The Story of Sir Thomas More:**

"_And peradventure we have more cause to thank Him for our loss than for our winning; for His wisdom better seeth what is good for us than we do ourselves."-__** Sir Thomas More**_

It was a short distance from John F Kennedy Airport to the Frick Museum yet it took forever to get into the busy city. Everywhere Morgan there was traffic and it seemed everyone in New York City failed their road tests at least three times. This answered Morgan's question as to why no one who lived in New York City had a car, they feared getting killed by other drivers.

In the duration of the 45 minute drive Reid took the time to see where the nearest Barnes and Noble was. Reid knew that it would have almost every book known to man about Sir Thomas More. Along the way he picked searched information on the man and blurted out some information to Morgan keeping up the conversation.

"Did you know that Sir Thomas Moore was the first layman to become Lord Chancellor?" Reid said in his analytical tone as Morgan honked at yet another car, "Before then Chancellors were usually clergy but I guess after Cardinal Wolsey, More's predecessor, failed to retrieve a divorce for Henry VIII, the king lost his trust in clerics."

Just as Reid finished one of his "fun facts of the day" speeches Morgan _finally_ arrived at the Frick Collection. He parked the car and turned off the engine and quickly stepped out of the car, giving him time to breathe before Reid went into one of his educational speeches again.

The young doctor quickly packed up all his things leaving out only a pen and notebook to take notes. Morgan walked around the other side and opened the door for his fellow agent.

"Ready kid?" He asked.

Reid gave his fellow agent a smile and said:

"When am I not ready?"

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The Unsub waited across the street of the Fashion Institute of Technology, dressed in a stylish outfit with sunglasses smoking her cigarette. Using Sir Thomas More as her last muse was a good idea. She knew these profilers they would eventually see his pattern. By using More a man who did not commit suicide but yet mutilated himself and died for his love for God would throw them off track of the pattern and figure out why she chose Moore.

It gave him time to choose her next target. Isabella Blow, an fashion designer who committed suicide by drinking Weed Killer was having an exhibit at the costume Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of art. The museum would once again see her handy work. The opening night was just days away and he wanted to make it memorable.

But which girl to choose? The possibilities were endless! So she would have to wait patiently to spot the perfect girl. A girl that was a reflection of what she failed to be.

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The interior of the Frick made all 4 of Morgan's residences look like shacks. The old mansion was in perfect condition and it was so lavish. Hell it even had a indoor fountain. The two agents followed a young woman whose fashion muse was definitely Sarah Palin, for she wore a suit, her hair in a bun and glasses. She kept nagging on about the museum history.

"As you can see this was the residence of Henry Clay Frick himself," She said, "successful in the steel industry. The painting you are about to see as you know is the portrait of Sir Thomas More, the portrait of More is our most popular piece, especially on February 7th the date of More's birth and July 6th the date of More's Martyrdom, this is due to More's fine reputation in the…"

By then Morgan lost focus of the conversation, with a smirk on his face he thought:

_God she and Reid would make the perfect couple!_

The woman who dressed like Sarah Palin stopped in front of two closed doors.

"The detectives of New York's Special Victims Unit will be arriving soon to aide you in this investigation," She said, "but I warn you gentleman this is a pretty ugly scene."

Reid sighed and took a deep breath before he had to go in. After being kidnapped by Tobias Heinkel, an unsub that kidnapped him and tortured him a little over a year and a half before, the young doctor found it a little harder to look at Crime scenes. It was mostly because he felt empathy for the victims alive or dead for he too was in the face of danger. But he was getting better. He didn't get sick whilst looking at crime scenes which he did at the beginning and the panic attacks were gone. Of course he got rid of his nasty drug habit that came in the midst of all the chaos as well. Many wounds were healed but he still had a long way to go.

Morgan cracked his knuckles and said:

"Ma'am we're profilers we've seen every thing."

The woman dressed like Sarah Palin looked at him as if he fell from Mars, twisting her face in confusion.

"All right then if you are ready."

She opened the doors revealing what looked like some form of living room. She looked behind her for a second and said with a hand over her mouth, "gentlemen" before walking off.

Both men took one look into the room to quickly survey the scene and then looked at each other with gape expressions. They've seen it all chopped up bodies, corpses dressed and ready to go as if they were on a date, murders on video tape. But this was something they've never seen before.

The room was a mess. There was blood everywhere. The two agents were skeptical that the blood was even from one victim.

Morgan noticed three things. One there was old English writing written all over the walls. Two, all the paintings (not including the painting of More) had a bloody "X" on them except for one which depicted an ugly as fuck guy and was hanging on the opposite side of More's spot on the fire place had the two lines that said MURDEROUS HERETIC written in blood across the painting. What that meant that he had to ask Reid. What struck him was the body.

The victim was in a laying position on her back. Her hair done as well as makeup. Her eyes were open as well as her mouth as if she were screaming. Her hands folded across her chest and one held a rosary.

Morgan moved his eyes to the picture of More. The man looked uptight, angry. And what was on his lips a smirk? A frown? It was the first time in a long time the toughest agent in the BAU was scared shitless. Morgan looked into More's dark eyes again and felt chill of terror run down his spine.

"That is one creepy old dude," Morgan said looking at Reid who stood in his pensive pose.

"The reason why More was made to look rather intense was to depict his scholarly intelligence," Reid said not even moving from his position, "More was one of the great scholars at the time along with Erasmus, John Colet and many others. Now what I don't get is first of all why did the museum place More's portrait in the same area as his enemy Thomas Cromwell's."

"What the hell does that have to do with the murder kid?" Morgan replied raising an eyebrow and looking around the room. He then set his eyes on the writing under More's painting he read the words aloud, "I die the King's good servant but god's first?" Morgan scratched his head and asked, "Kid do you know the meaning of those words?"

Reid walked closer to More's portrait and being careful not to step on the body. As he did so he put on his gloves. When he was close enough Reid pointed upwards towards to the second set of words written in blood above More's portrait.

"Along with these words that say," Reid said reading them very carefully, "See me safe up for my coming down let me shift for myself," The young doctor felt as if he were More himself uttering the words, "I die the King's good servant but God's first were More's last words before he was beheaded. You may not like my lectures but you're going to need a lot of historical knowledge for this case."

Morgan laughed as Reid stepped in front of the fire place in between the portraits of More and that other old guy.

"Okay Kid," Morgan said pointing at the unknown man, "If your historical knowledge is so vast then why while the other paintings have smeared bloody exes across from them, why does this guy have the words MURDEROUS HERETIC written in blood on his paintings."

"Well," Reid said stepping closer the other portrait by Holbein of Sir Thomas Cromwell, "Sir Thomas Cromwell was another one of the King's most trusted advisors. Not only did he successfully bring the Protestant Reformation but was the mastermind of many downfalls of members of the Tudor Court including Anne Boleyn and Sir Thomas More himself which explains the Murderous Part."

Morgan tiled his head.

"So what I am getting at here is that More and Cromwell were enemies," He said folding his arms in front of him, "Thomas More was beheaded because of his influence and Cromwell basically sent innocent people to an appointment with the axe. And the heretic means?"

"Elementary my dear Morgan," Reid said lifting his finger and now standing right next to the portrait of Cromwell, "And to answer your question More was a strongly devoted Catholic. One of the most moral men in the Tudor Court. When Martin Luther introduced his new religion More made it his mission to cleanse Europe of what he called Heresy or beliefs that challenge the religious norm. When Cromwell's power rose More referred to his enemy as the HERETIC Cromwell."

Morgan brought his hand to his chin and started to walk around the crime scene. He immediately inferred that the rest of the words on the wall were various exerts from More's writings written in blood on the walls. From Reid he learned that More died for his religion so he guessed the body was positioned in that way to emulate that.

"I wonder," Morgan said pointing at various things on the walls, "More's writings in blood, the position of the body, More's final words written in blood, and the mocking words of More's enemy in blood. Was the unsub trying to tell More's story from this crime scene?"

Before the young doctor could answer yes, Morgan pulled out his cell phone and started dialing furiously.

"What are you doing the detectives should be here any minute from now?" Reid said.

Morgan sighed and brought his phone to his ear. He just simply said:

"I am calling Hotch I have a few questions."

_**I hope you enjoyed and remember I send cookies to all my reviewers!!**_


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